Cheltenham

Cheltenham's population increased by about 5,700 between the last two censuses. This semi-automated article highlights some of the key changes among the local population.

The population reached nearly 120,000

In the decade to 2011, the population of Cheltenham increased by 5.2%, from just over 110,000 to 116,000.

The addition of just over 5,700 people means this area's population increased at a slower rate than the total population of England (up 7.9% since the 2001 census).

In 2011, Cheltenham was home to, on average, 18 people per football pitch-sized piece of land.

Population density was higher than the average across the South West

Population density (usual residents per football pitch-sized piece of land) across the South West, March 2011 (larger dots represent greater increase since 2001)

An older Cheltenham

Census 2011 data also show a change in the local population's average age.

Between the last two censuses, the median age of Cheltenham increased by one year, from 37 to 38 years.

This area had a lower average age than the South West and became slightly younger than the average local authority area across England (39 years of age).

The fall in age was because of an increase of about 2,700 people between the ages of 20 and 29 years, while the population between 30 and 39 years decreased by about 1,000.

About 16.0% of people in Cheltenham are aged between 20 and 29 years

Percentage of usual residents in England, South West and Cheltenham by 10 year age band, March 2001 and March 2011

Disability in Cheltenham

The percentage of Cheltenham residents whose day-to-day activities are limited a lot by a long-term health problem or disability increased from 2.3% to 2.6% in the 10 years leading up to 2011.

In 2011, just over 1 in 16 (6.5%) reported being limited a little in their day-to-day activities, compared with 6.6% in 2001. The percentage of Cheltenham residents whose day-to-day activities are not limited by a long-term health problem or disability remained close to 90.9%.

The proportion of people who are considerably limited by a long-term health problem or disability increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South West (from 3.0% in 2001 to 3.7% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 3.1% to 3.8%.

The proportion of people who are limited a lot by a long-term health problem or disability was lower than across the South West

Percentage of usual residents that reported being considerably limited in their day-to-day activities across local authority areas in the South West and the average across England, March 2011

Fewer people worked long hours

Long hour working fell in Cheltenham, but at a slower rate than all other local authority areas in the South West, except Isles of Scilly.

Every local authority area across the South West saw a fall in the proportion of people working long hours, as the regional average fell from 13.3% to 10.3%.

During this period, Cheltenham fell below five local authority areas, including Swindon and Exeter, to become the South West local authority area with the sixth-lowest percentage of long hours workers.

Long hour working in Cheltenham decreased by 2 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) in Cheltenham, the South West and England that said they had worked over 49 hours the week before completing the census, March 2001 and March 2011

Change in unpaid care

The percentage of Cheltenham residents that provided between 20 and 49 hours of weekly unpaid care increased from 0.8% to 1.0% in the decade leading up to the most recent census.

In 2011, 1.7% of reported providing at least 50 hours of unpaid care each week, compared with 1.5% in 2001.

The proportion of people providing between 20 and 49 hours of weekly unpaid care decreased faster here than in any other local authority district across the South West. As a result, this area had the region’s second lowest proportion of people providing between 20 and 49 hours of weekly unpaid care.

Isles of Scilly had the South West's first lowest proportion of people providing between 20 and 49 hours of weekly unpaid care (0.9%), while Cotswold had the region's third lowest proportion (1.0%).

The proportion of people providing between 20 and 49 hours of weekly unpaid care in Cheltenham remained close to 1.0%

Percentage of usual residents in England, South West and Cheltenham by care, March 2001 and March 2011

Changing household dynamics

The percentage of households in Cheltenham, which comprised a single parent, remained close to 7.9% in the 10 years leading up to the latest census.

In 2011, just under 3 in 10 (29.8%) households had a married couple, compared with 32.0% in 2001. The percentage of households in Cheltenham, which comprised a cohabiting couple, increased from 9.0% to 11.0%.

The proportion of single-parent households increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South West (from 8.1% in 2001 to 9.0% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 9.5% to 10.7%.

The percentage of households with a single-parent was lower than across the South West

Percentage of households that had a single parent across local authority areas in the South West and the average across England, March 2011

Changes in family structure

The percentage of households in Cheltenham with only adult children living with their parents decreased from 7.3% to 7.0% between the last two censuses.

In 2011, just under one in four (24.2%) households had at least one dependent child, compared with 24.8% in 2001. The percentage of households in Cheltenham without children increased from 67.9% to 68.8%.

The proportion of households with adult children living with their parents fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South West (from 8.4% in 2001 to 8.6% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 9.4% to 9.6%.

The proportion of households with only adult children living with their parents was lower than across the South West

Percentage of households where a parent lived with their adult children across local authority areas in the South West and the average across England, March 2011

Religion in Cheltenham

The 2011 Census asked a voluntary question about religion. Of those who chose to disclose their religious affiliation, the largest percentage point increase in Cheltenham was among those who said they had no religion, rising 13.6 points.

In 2011, 33.3% of respondents in Cheltenham gave this answer to the question on religion, compared with 19.7% of those who answered in 2001.

Across the South West, the percentage of people who answered the question on religion and described themselves as having no religion increased from 18.5% to 32.2%, while across England the percentage went from 15.7% to 26.5%.

Of those who disclosed their religion in Cheltenham, 63.6% said they were Christian, compared with 78.1% in 2001. About 1.0% said they were Muslim, compared with 0.5% a decade prior.

The percentage of people who disclosed a religious affiliation and said they were Hindu increased from 0.8% to 0.9%.

In Cheltenham, 7.6% chose not to answer the question on religious affiliation, compared with 7.4% in 2001. Across the South West, 7.9% did not answer the voluntary question, compared with 7.7% in 2001. Across England, 7.2% of people did not answer, compared with 7.7% in 2001.

The population that said they had no religion in Cheltenham increased by 14 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents who answered the voluntary question on religion in England, South West and Cheltenham by religion, March 2001 and March 2011

Rise in private renting

The percentage of privately rented homes increased in Cheltenham at a faster rate than across the South West.

In Cheltenham, the proportion of private renting increased from 13.1% in 2001 to 21.5% in 2011. During the same period, the regional proportion increased from 11.1% to 17.0%.

Across the South West, the share of privately rented homes increased from 11.1% to 17.0%.

The rate of social housing in Cheltenham fell from 13.3% to 12.2%, while the rate of home ownership decreased from 71.2% to 64.6%.

Private renting in Cheltenham increased by 8.3 percentage points

Percentage of households in Cheltenham, the South West and England that rented privately, March 2001 and March 2011

Fewer married people

The percentage of married people fell in Cheltenham, but at a slower rate than in Worcester (one of the most statistically similar areas to Cheltenham based on ONS area classifications).

In Cheltenham, the proportion of married people decreased from 46.6% in 2001 to 42.9% in 2011. During the same period, the proportion in statistically similar Worcester decreased from 51.0% to 44.7%.

Across the South West, the share of married people decreased from 53.2% to 49.1%.

The proportion of people who had never married or entered a civil partnership in Cheltenham increased from 34.1% to 38.8%, while the proportion of people who had divorced or separated from a marriage or civil partner increased from 10.8% to 11.6%.

The proportion of married people was lower than across the South West

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 and over that said they were married across local authority areas in the South West and the average across England, March 2011

Health improved

The percentage of Cheltenham residents that described their health as bad or very bad decreased from 7.4% to 4.0% in the decade to 2011.

Rates are standardised to account for variation in age, which can impact the local population's health.

In 2011, just over 8 in 10 (84.2%) said their health was good or very good, compared with 71.2% in 2001. The percentage of Cheltenham residents that described their health as fair decreased from 21.3% to 11.8%.

The proportion of residents that perceived their health as bad or very bad fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South West (from 8.5% in 2001 to 5.1% in 2011). Across England, the percentage fell from 9.1% to 5.5%.

These data are people’s own opinions in describing their overall health. They may be inconsistent with other measures of health, such as NHS records.

The percentage of people in ’bad’ or ’very bad’ health in Cheltenham decreased by 3.4 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in Cheltenham, the South West and England said their health was bad or very bad, March 2001 and March 2011

Rise in rate of self-employment

The percentage of Cheltenham residents that were self-employed increased from 8.1% to 9.6% in the 10 years leading up to 2011.

The percentage who said they were employed remained close to 54.6%, while the percentage of Cheltenham residents that were unemployed increased from 2.6% to 3.3%.

The proportion of self-employed people increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South West (from 10.0% in 2001 to 11.2% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 8.2% to 9.7%.

The rate of self-employment was lower than across the South West

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 that said they were self-employed across local authority areas in the South West and the average across England, March 2011

Ethnicity in Cheltenham

In 2011, 3.2% of Cheltenham residents said they were from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups, up from 1.8% in 2001. The 1.4 percentage point change was the largest increase among ethnic groups in this area.

Across the South West, the percentage of people from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups increased from 1.0% to 2.0%, while across England the percentage went from 5.2% to 8.0%.

Around 94.3% of people in Cheltenham said they were from one of the White ethnic groups, compared with 96.7% in 2001. About 1.6% said they were from Mixed/multiple ethnic groups (White and Asian, White and Black African, White and Black Caribbean or Other Mixed), compared with 0.9% a decade prior.

The percentage of people who said they were from the Black, Black British, Caribbean or African ethnic groups increased from 0.3% to 0.6%.

The population from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups in Cheltenham increased by 1.4 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in England, South West and Cheltenham by ethnicity, March 2001 and March 2011

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